William Stallings

Data and Computer

Communications
7th Edition
Chapter 1
Data Communications and
Networks Overview

A Communications Model
Source
generates data to be transmitted

Transmitter
Converts data into transmittable signals

Transmission System
Carries data

Receiver
Converts received signal into data

Destination
Takes incoming data

Communications Tasks
Transmission system
utilization

Addressing

Interfacing

Routing

Signal generation

Recovery

Synchronization

Message formatting

Exchange management

Security

Error detection and correction

Network management

Flow control

Simplified Communications
Model - Diagram

Simplified Data
Communications Model

Networking
Point to point communication not usually
practical
Devices are too far apart
Large set of devices would need impractical
number of connections

Solution is a communications network

Wide Area Network (WAN)
Local Area Network (LAN)

Wide Area Networks

Large geographical area

Crossing public rights of way
Rely in part on common carrier circuits
Alternative technologies
Circuit switching
Packet switching
Frame relay
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)

Circuit Switching
Dedicated communications path
established for the duration of the
conversation
e.g. telephone network

Packet Switching
Data sent out of sequence
Small chunks (packets) of data at a time
Packets passed from node to node
between source and destination
Used for terminal to computer and
computer to computer communications

Frame Relay
Packet switching systems have large
overheads to compensate for errors
Modern systems are more reliable
Errors can be caught in end system
Most overhead for error control is stripped
out

Asynchronous Transfer Mode

ATM
Evolution of frame relay
Little overhead for error control
Fixed packet (called cell) length
Anything from 10Mbps to Gbps
Constant data rate using packet switching
technique

Local Area Networks

Smaller scope
Building or small campus

Usually owned by same organization as

attached devices
Data rates much higher
Usually broadcast systems
Now some switched systems and ATM are
being introduced

LAN Configurations
Switched
Switched Ethernet
May be single or multiple switches

ATM LAN
Fibre Channel

Wireless
Mobility
Ease of installation

Metropolitan Area Networks

MAN
Middle ground between LAN and WAN
Private or public network
High speed
Large area

Networking
Configuration

Further Reading
Stallings, W. [2003] Data and Computer
Communications (7th edition), Prentice
Hall, Upper Saddle River NJ, chapter 1
Web site for Stallings book
http://williamstallings.com/DCC7e.html